The present invention relates to optical films and optical displays incorporating the optical films. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical film for reducing glare on reflective surfaces caused by high angle light emitted from backlit displays.
Instruments and control panels in vehicles such as automobiles are viewable during the day when ambient light such as sunlight is reflected from the surface of the instrument or control panel to the viewer's eye. At night, viewing of the instruments and control panels is facilitated by a backlight, which causes light to pass through the instrument or control panel to produce an illuminated version of the image that is viewable during the day. A problem with lighted instruments and control panels is that light is emitted from the instrument panels through a wide range of angles. Some of this light strikes glass surfaces such as the windshield and is reflected back to the driver. While sunlight prevents such reflections from being visible during the day, they are often clearly visible during the night. These reflections can create a dangerous situation by distracting the driver or even obscuring the driver's view.